In the Spotlight (Max Verstappen - Book Two)

Chapter Eighteen

Early upload cause of where I left it off! Yeah kinda a long chapter so probably no other updates today!
*****
The next day I was up bright and early, ready for the flight I had organised upon returning to my room last night so that I could head back to Monaco. It was impromptu because I was meant to head straight to Australia before going to Shanghai, but after the events of yesterday and being ill and rather homesick as well as in desperate need of some space from Max I had decided I would spend the next two weeks at home, otherwise I wouldn't be there for over a month and a half. I shot Olivia and Nick a message to let them know where I would be and apologised for leaving them and messing up any plans that Olivia might have for me but excused it by saying that being ill had just made me want to go home.

I really didn't want to spend any longer in the land of Danny Ric's than I had to and I certainly didn't want to get the flight that Max had planned before with Danny and me later today to Australia. I deleted the messages from Max that he had sent drunkenly last night without replying before wheeling my suitcase out of my room and to the lift, ready to get out of this country as fast as possible.

Fourteen hours later and I'm back in my own home, mentally and physically exhausted from the last three weeks as I collapse on my sofa. So tired that I don't even notice the non-stop buzzing of my phone as I fall asleep the instant my head hits the pillow. I wake up when it's dark outside, the city lights seeping in through my living room windows as I walk onto the balcony and look around, posting a quick picture on Instagram of the stunning view. It's not until I'm making myself a hot chocolate to take out onto the balcony with a blanket that I notice all the missed notifications.

Max - 12 missed calls, 52 messages

Daniel - 1 missed call, 1 message

Olivia - 14 missed calls, 18 messages

Nick - 3 missed calls, 9 messages

Christian - 5 missed calls, 7 messages

"Oh fuck, what the hell happened now," I wonder as I open Olivia's message and see the article she sent me, "Shit!" I swear loudly as I press on her contact and call her, hoping that she'll pick up and that she isn't on a flight or something.

"Oh thank god, you're alive!" I'm greeted by her London accent down the phone. "But I'm pissed at you, what the hell is that article, and where the hell have you been?" She tells me off through the phone, annoyance clear in her voice.

"I don't know, it didn't seem like there was anyone around. We just got in an argument, it's no big deal." I mumble down the phone as I massage my temples, looking at the boiling kettle. "I was asleep, I fell asleep the moment I got in," I confess, answering her second question and she sighs.

"This is so not good, D. You were scheduled to appear on so many shows with Daniel in Australia and now there are photos and audio from your argument everywhere," Liv informs me and I groan as I mix my hot chocolate in front of me.

"Just tell them I've come back to Monaco for a health check or something, apologise and explain that it was just a tired misunderstanding between friends," the video only had the end of our argument and so was rather non-descript so I feel like this will work as I pick up my mug and a blanket and head to sit on one of the outdoor sofas, looking out over the harbour.

"And what was it exactly?" Liv challenges me and I just sit mutely on the other side of the phone, letting the silence speak for me as she groans. "I think I can save it, but you still need to come back out here for the race, what were you doing just taking off like that? You had plans! Max and Daniel were going crazy when they found out you left early this morning."